The UK government announced on Tuesday its plans to build new gas power plants to enhance energy security, a move critics say threatens the nation’s climate ambitions.
London is committed "to supporting the construction of new gas power plants to maintain a secure and reliable source of energy for days when weather conditions do not allow for wind or solar power", according to a government statement.
The independent Committee on Climate Change (CCC), charged with advising Downing Street on the matter, argued last year that a "small amount" of gas-fired electricity production was "compatible with a decarbonised electricity system" to ensure supply balance and security.
London has set a goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 but has faced criticism for delaying several key measures in the fight against climate change, such as postponing the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035.
The war in Ukraine has put energy security at the top of the political agenda, leading the UK government to announce a plethora of new oil and gas exploration permits.
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However, Greenpeace policy director Doug Parr argued on Tuesday that the government's plan to consolidate energy security is making the country "more dependent on fossil fuels, which have made our bills and the planet's temperature skyrocket."
The environmental organisation warns that new gas plants are likely to "further deter investors from green energy" and will prevent the government from attracting massive private investment to develop renewable energy.
By contrast, the government was quick to defend its environmental record, stating that the UK "is the first major economy to have halved its emissions since 1990" and remains "on track to achieve its carbon neutrality goals." Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned that the nation must reach its goals "in a way that does not leave people without power on a cloudy and non-windy day."
The government also intends to strengthen rules requiring new gas plants to be "capable of converting in the future to low-emission alternatives", particularly to carbon capture or hydrogen power.
